CONDITIONS FOR THE SEPARATION OF OIL AND PROTEIN FROM COCONUT MILK EMULSION

Abstract

Coconut milk extracted from fresh coconuts, was centrifuged to obtain cream and skim milk. The whole mass of cream was chilled to 17°C or below. It was established that 17°C was the critical temperature for subsequent phase separation. At 17°C, crystallization of the oil phase was observed under the microscope. On warming to 25° C the emulsion broke with separation of oil and protein. This process differs from similar processes in that no enzymes are used and the temperature of the whole mass of cream has to be lowered only to 17°C. The oil obtained did not differ significantly from commercially available oil. Amino acid composition of different protein fractions was determined.